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Newberry Place: a Grand Rapids Cohousing Community

bwindi25

By bwindi25
in Grand Rapids

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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Greetings, I'm new to this forum but have posted in response to some inquiries about members seeing our project on the recent planning commission agenda. Our cohousing project went before the city Planning Commision today (8/9) and was approved. Cohousing borrows from the new urbanist, TND, and Pattern Language tradition with a design that fosters community. The plan is for 20 units on a little over one acre in Belknap Neighborhood. To learn more and see site plans and elevations of this project, please visit our website www.grandrapidscoho.org

If people would like to ask questions about our design and development process, please feel free.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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Greetings,  I'm new to this forum but have posted in response to some inquiries about members seeing our project on the recent planning commission agenda.  Our cohousing project went before the city Planning Commision today (8/9) and was approved.  Cohousing borrows from the new urbanist, TND, and Pattern Language tradition with a design that fosters community.  The plan is for 20 units on a little over one acre in Belknap Neighborhood.  To learn more and see site plans and elevations of this project, please visit our website www.grandrapidscoho.org 

If people would like to ask questions about our design and development process, please feel free.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Steve...Welcome. I see that no on has commented on your post. So I thought I would make you fell better by saying something.

Hey everyone...Check out the Grand Rapids Co-housing stuff on their web site. It is awesome. My wife and I were a part of the initial co-housing meetings here in GR. It was our invovlement with them that ended us up at our loft at 1153 Madison SE. Go Steve!

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I think the best thing about this project, and Steve can probably attest to this, is that the majority of the people who have chosen to live here are probably "neighborhood activists", or are at least more likely to be involved in the community and schools around them than your average joes and janes.

What is Newberry Place?

And the Belknap Lookout area is probably a perfect "test neighborhood" to see how a development like this may bring a lot of good change to the neighborhood. Does anyone know what elementary school is served by this area?

Has any other group looked at duplicating something similar in other areas of the city? Lighthousedave? I think it would be cool to take this concept and design it in the modern style like Ted's townhouse on Diamond. :shades:

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Ted Whistle-Stop

Ted

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Does anyone know what elementary school is served by this area?

Has any other group looked at duplicating something similar in other areas of the city? I think it would be cool to take this concept and design it in the modern style like Ted's townhouse on Diamond. :shades:

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Veloise City

Veloise

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I think the best thing about this project, and Steve can probably attest to this, is that the majority of the people who have chosen to live here are probably "neighborhood activists", or are at least more likely to be involved in the community and schools around them than your average joes and janes.

What is Newberry Place?

And the Belknap Lookout area is probably a perfect "test neighborhood" to see how a development like this may bring a lot of good change to the neighborhood. ...

Has any other group looked at duplicating something similar in other areas of the city? ...

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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Newberry Place going vertical! With only 4 remaining homes.

383018365_89e2ea8e97_o.jpg

If I'm not mistaken, this first home under construction is the one in the center left of the rendering (with the main house at the bottom left not under construction yet):

383018377_2e05d16e37_b.jpg

Just as a quick walkthrough for these pictures:

You are correct about their location in relation to the "common house", these are 2 of 3 units on the site with a first floor bedroom (that is the small room off the side). Other unique features you can see from these pictures are the roof decks and the small peak at the top is a "light-well" that runs through each unit, capturing sunlight and allowing for natural ventilation. These are the only 2 units that don't have southern exposure to really maximize light and passive solar heating. But we needed them to orient well to the street and be sensitive to the surrounding neighborhood. The units going up in the back of these pictures will be a 2.5 story version with all the bedrooms on the 2nd floor. They will have a similar buildable attic design and roof decks.

Thanks for posting the pics, we are getting really excited about being able to move in later this summer/fall.

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bwindi25 Whistle-Stop

bwindi25

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That appears to be a standard 12/12 pitch, but Steve can probably verify. There are thousands of homes in GR with that kind of pitch, new and old, and I would think they're better in snowy conditions because one warm spell and the snow slides right off.
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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Newberry Place is moving right along:

466387218_6355dcaa93_b.jpg

With that topography and the high roofs, it has a certain up north/pacific northwest feel to it:

466387220_6a400c6e71_b.jpg

Garages? I wouldn't think such progressive individuals would need automobiles. :lol: J/K Steve.

466400503_4b49e3e0f4_b.jpg

The vinyl windows look fine to me. :whistling:

466400513_4c9c37d0c6_b.jpg

A lot of changes in the neighborhood:

466400525_34d79a142e_b.jpg

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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I didn't like the architecture of Newberry Place at first but I have to say it is growing on me. It's nice to see a nod to the traditional architecture of the neighborhood, but with modern (and by modern I just mean 21st century) touches. Nice job. It doesn't try to be something that it is not.

Joe

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